I have received the copy of a circular letter which, as
chairman of the committee appointed by the late public
meeting at Trenton respecting slavery, you were pleased
to direct to me on the 5th instant. Little can be added to
what has been said and written on the subject of slavery. I
concur in the opinion that it ought not to be introduced
nor permitted in any of the new States; and that it ought
to be gradually diminished and finally abolished in all of
them.

To me the constitutional authority of the Congress to
prohibit the migration and importation of slaves into any
of the States, does not appear questionable. The first article
of the constitution specifies the legislative powers committed
to the Congress. The ninth section of that article
has these words:

"The migration or importation of such persons as any of the
now existing States shall think proper to admit, shall not be
prohibited by the Congress prior to the year 1808. But a
tax or duty may be imposed on such importations, not exceeding
ten dollars for each person."

I understand the sense and meaning of this clause to be,
that the power of the Congress, although competent to
prohibit such migration and importation, was not to be exercised
with respect to the then existing States (and them
only) until the year 1808; but that the Congress were at
liberty to make such prohibition as to any new State,
which might, in the mean time, be established, and further,
that from and after that period, they were authorized
to make such prohibition, as to all the States, whether
new or old.

It will, I presume, be admitted, that slaves were the persons
intended. The word slaves was avoided, probably on
account of the existing toleration of slavery, and of its discordancy
with the principles of the Revolution; and from
a consciousness of its being repugnant to the following positions
in the Declaration of Independence, viz.:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are
created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights; that among them are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness."